Blind Heart
by Eternal Annoyance
Summary: Five years later, Gaara is now 17 years old. A mission brings him to meet a young girl, who makes him realize that there can be more than hurt and hate in the world.
1. Default Chapter

Author's note: this is my first time ever submitting a story to fanfiction.net, so please be nice. Also, read and review!  
  
disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way!!

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"Are you sure?"   
  
"Yeah...she'll be alone. I promise."   
  
"If you say so..."  
  
"Before you go..."   
  
"Hmm?"   
  
"Remember, we never met."  
  
"Heh...it's like that, huh?"  
  
"Just get out of here!"  
  
"Whatever..."  
  
==========  
  
Elsewhere, three familiar figures are walking out of a small village.  
  
"Pft! A search and retrieve mission! Are they joking?"  
  
"Your right, Kankuro...but, the pay isn't too bad."  
  
"It's always about the money, isn't it?"  
  
"Of course not!"  
  
"Silence," a voice commanded the other two.  
  
Both Temari and Kankuro went silent. Their gazes shifted over to their younger brother. Tension seemed to build up. Temari looked as though she was struggling to say something; Kankuro, on the other hand, appeared worried.  
  
"We will split up. Cover more ground. The mission will be accomplished faster," Gaara told his siblings in a very calm voice.  
  
With that he began to walk along the same road, leaving Temari and Kankuro still pondering about the situation. The sky was nearly clear, a few clouds dotting the infinite blue. The sun was positioned high in the sky, signaling that half the day still remained. Grass swayed gently with the wind, imitating the movements of their larger brethren, the trees.  
  
Children frolicked and played in the field alongside the gravel road. Looking at them brought Gaara painful memories of his own childhood. He looked away, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. Thinking of the past is useless, he thought. Afterall, he was no longer child; he was a young man. Five years ago he had met Uzumaki Naruto, and since then he had changed, not greatly, but enough to make a difference. All the hate and despair he had once felt was no longer as strong as it had once been. However, resisting the demon was a much more difficult task. Yes, he was strong, but all those years up till now have involved his struggle with Shukaku. He was able to utilize Shukaku in various ways, his control also strengthening. Temari and Kankuro finally decided to follow. The three sand siblings walked along the road in silence. They were no longer genin, but very skilled and powerful chuunins. Temari still carried her large fan, and Kankuro his two puppets. The sand gourd still was transported on Gaara's back. Temari's blond hair swayed slightly with the wind. Her blond locks were cut short, barely past her chin. The bangs were slightly longer, and the tips of her hair were curled slightly up and outward. Kankuro still dawned the burgundy face paint and desert-like head veil. He was the only one out of the three that actually wore his chuunin flak jacket. Gaara still looked pretty much the same. Temari wore a low neck black shirt that had fishnet sleeves and chest coverings; but over her shirt was a kimono- like dress. It was blue, sleeveless, and reached mid-thigh, fastened with a lilac sash at the waist. She still wore her usual fishnet on her one thigh, having worn black short shorts underneath.  
  
As they moved further away from the village, the trees became dense, forming patches of forests here and there. Gaara stopped, and glanced around at the surrounding forest. Temari and Kankuro also stopped, and wondered what got Gaara so intrigued. Their green eyes also scanned the surrounding forests.  
  
"This is it," Gaara finally said. "We will split up here."  
  
Sand began to seep out of the gourd, and whip about Gaara. After only a moment, Gaara vanished. Temari looked down at the small whirlwind left behind by Gaara as it dissipated. A small sigh escaped her lips.  
  
"There are two of them to find. We better start searching," Temari suggested to her brother. She took a step forward, walking towards the edge of the forest.  
  
"We'll meet back here," Kankuro told his older sister.  
  
Temari nodded in response, and disappeared leaving dust unsettled in her wake. Kankuro looked out onto the landscape. He shook his head back and forth slowly.  
  
"Damn kids...I hate them," he said to himself.  
  
============  
  
Gaara walked through the forest, keeping an eye open for either of the two girls that they were sent to find. He stopped, and looked around. His verdant eyes shifted up to the canopy of leaves above him. The branches stretched out to each other, preventing the sun from flooding the forest floor in light. Sun seeped through open spots, giving the forest an ominous atmosphere. The birds sang and chirped, flying from one branch to another. It looked as though they were playing tag, or that's what it looked like to Gaara. Even the wildlife brought him a pang of hatred; even it reminded him of the past.  
  
A sound emanating from a nearby brush broke his stare and state of concentration. He looked over to the little patch of bush, squinting his eyes slightly. The small branches began to quiver and shake. Still Gaara remained still and as usual, absolutely calm. The commotion failed to stop, and Gaara was curious as to whether it might be the girl. He turned slightly to face the brush. At last, the culprit emerged. Small chipmunks scurried out. He watched them run out of sight, as they plunged into another brush.  
  
This moment did not last long. The shifting sound of the sand attracted his attention. He was caught slightly off-guard, but his sand was not fooled. The sand shot out his gourd and caught the shuriken that Gaara failed to notice. His head quickly turned to the direction the blade had come from. The forest looked empty, no sign of disturbance. The trees looked calm, and the little forest creatures were still scurrying about. Still Gaara did not need his eyes to spot the person that had thrown the weapon at him. Whoever it was, they had no patience. The person attacked again, and still from behind Gaara. Unlike before when they had taken a long-distance approach, this time they attacked head on.  
  
Gaara did not look affected. He looked over his shoulder at his attacker. The assailant wore a plain white mask, a dark hooded cloak, and wielded a staff. Gaara began to look annoyed. The stranger's attacks were relentless, but to no avail. At last, Gaara decided to end this useless meeting. The sand reached out and grasped the stranger's wrist, pulling him down to the ground. A muffled yell came from within the mask. With their free hand, the assailant pulled back his hood. Long dark hair fell forward, over the shoulders. The person continued to struggle, scratching at the sand.  
  
"Let me go!" the person demanded. The voice was obviously that of a girl.  
  
Gaara looked down at the girl, wondering if she was the one he had to find. The girl ripped off her mask; her eyes were shut tight. The sand brought the girl closer to Gaara. He stood, his face emotionless. Her fists were clenched. Gaara was curious; why did she have her eyes closed? Maybe the girl realized she could not escape; she ran forward, towards Gaara, her free hand formed into a tight fist. She threw herself forward, with the intent of hitting Gaara with all she could muster. The sand blocked the attack. Gaara still stood, looking at the girl. Her fist was still embedded in the sand. He reached his hand out, into the sand, and clasped his hand around her fist.  
  
The girl was breathing heavily, having tired herself out. Gaara still held onto her fist, but she made no effort to get away. She was leaning against the wall of sand.  
  
"Are you Kohana?" Gaara asked.

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A/N: Look out for the second chapter....also, I always looking for suggestions.  



	2. Neglected

A/N: WOW!! I actually got reviews!! Thankies! (Some of them were super helpful)  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto in anyway...well, durr!

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"Kohana?" the girl managed to say, "Why are you looking? Who are you?"  
  
Gaara looked down at the girl. He closed his eyes briefly, during which the sand receded, pulling itself back into the gourd. His green eyes once again were placed on the girl.  
  
"I was sent to find her, and another, as requested by Kotori," Gaara answered nonchalantly.  
  
Before Gaara could go on, the young maiden interrupted him, "What? Kotori sent you...to find her?! Well...who are you anyways?"  
  
Gaara's eyes squinted ever so slightly at the girl. She was a curious one; he still had no clue who she was, but it did not bother him one bit. "I am Gaara of the Desert."  
  
The dark haired girl regained her composure. Her face was cast in shadow, her dark locks falling slightly on her face. She lifted her head up to look at Gaara, her eyes still shut. Her lips formed into an innocent smile. The dark bangs seemed to sway, as she cocked her head slightly to the side.  
  
"I'm Sada!" she said in a cheery tone. Her left hand rose, reaching out for Gaara, ever so slowly moving towards him. Her fingers brushed his white sash, and seemed to trace its fabric up to his shoulder. Her smile widened, when at last her hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Nice to meet you, Gaara."  
  
All the while, Gaara looked at her, no real emotion on his face. Curiosity seemed to be nipping at his mind, and still the question came back to him; why does she not open her eyes? Her contact did not bother him at all. Rather, he wondered why such a minor action seemed to bring her so much joy. He began to question if this girl was even worth going through the hassle of hiring shinobis. As he had before, the reasoning for people's actions were a mystery to, especially when the person was driven to great extents, willing to take risks for someone they loved or cared for. Why do they bother? Gaara had thought to himself numerous times before.  
  
"Sada, I must now take you back to your village," Gaara simply told the young girl straight out.  
  
Sada just simply nodded in response. "Okay...but first let me get Rin and Jin."  
  
Gaara's brow furrowed. This girl was very odd indeed. Sada's hand slipped off his shoulder, but quickly grasped her staff. She took a moment, and just stood there, silent. The expression on her face looked as one of concentration, as though trying to hear a sound miles away. She spun around quickly, and repeated the same trance-like stance. Gaara continued to look at her. He closed his eyes, as though trying to overcome the growing twitch of annoyance within him. His emerald eyes opened, and still the girl was in front of him, but taking cautious steps away. Her feet took small, nimble strides. His gaze scanned the surrounding forest, trying to spot what she was looking for. He crossed his arms, and looked back at Sada, who looked like a complete moron. Idiot, he thought to himself.  
  
Silence seemed to settle, and neither Gaara nor Sada made a noise. Natural sounds filled the forest: the rustling of leaves, chirping of birds, and the occasional insect zipping by. Gaara's patience was wearing thin. What on Earth is she searching for? he wondered. Sada had her staff poised before her, reaching out almost timidly every now and then. At last, she stopped, only a couple feet from Gaara, her back facing him. She began to whistle loudly.  
  
"Rin! Jin! Cum' on, guys!" Sada called out.  
  
Gaara's brow cocked up slightly; he wondered what would make her take so much time, when all she had to do was call out to begin with. His verdant gaze once again scanned the woodlands. Much to his frustration, the two chipmunks he had seen earlier, bounded out of a nearby flower patch. The two little critters climbed their way up Sada's cloak, and perched themselves on her shoulders. She began to giggle, as they nipped at her hair. Gaara watched this spectacle, almost intrigued. Such insignificant creatures could bring so much happiness to this girl. Sada petted her two chipmunks, in a very awkward way. Her hand looked lost, slowly reaching for one of the chipmunks. The chipmunk stood up, reaching his nose out to her hand, as if calling it towards itself. Gaara had seen people being happy, and even then their sources of happiness were trivial.  
  
Sada turned to face Gaara, "Okay, I'm ready now!"  
  
Gaara was silent for moment. "Let's go."  
  
Sada ran quickly over to Gaara, before he could take a step away. She grasped his upper arm, with her free hand, holding onto his shirt. Her other hand held onto her little chipmunks. One managed to squeeze out of her grasp, and ran onto the top of her head. Before she could grab hold of him, he already fled onto Gaara's shoulder. Gaara ignored the fact that Sada was holding onto his arm, but he could not ignore the chipmunk that was now sitting on his shoulder. A look of disgust came to his face. The sand did not attack the chipmunk, obviously no threat lied in its little fuzzy body.  
  
"I am so sorry!" Sada suddenly blurted out. The second chipmunk also got loose, and began to make a nuisance of himself. As though following the lead of his brother, Jin also ran onto Gaara. Sada immediately reached out, to grab her pets. However, this time she did not employ the same caution in her movements as before, but acted more on impulse. Her hand shot right for Gaara's face, unintentional of course. A thin wall of sand blocked her hand from hitting Gaara. The chipmunks were frightened, and immediately left Gaara's shoulder. The two brothers found refuge on their owner's head.  
  
"What is that?" Sada asked, as she lowered her hand away from the sand.  
  
The sand was sucked back into the gourd. Gaara continued on. "My sand."  
  
=============  
  
Gaara returned the girl back to the village. It turned out this was not her home village, just a temporary abode. Gaara had found this out on their journey back to the little cattle village. Their trip back was quite interesting:  
  
'Is Kotori at this village you are taking me to?' Sada had asked Gaara.   
'Yes. She will be there,' Gaara had replied.  
'...She is more concerned about the well-being of Kohana...she always cared about her more...' Gaara looked at Sada, who for the time she had spent with him, she actually looked very sad. He wondered why she would care if someone liked her or not. For him, the only thing that concerned him, was himself. Or at least, that was his philosophy for the longest time. Naruto and Lee had changed him, not drastically, but enough to make him understand more the meaning of having someone to care for. Such a relationship was frivolous to him.  
  
Sometime during this short journey, he had managed to question her about her little chipmunks. Just as he had asked Naruto and Lee, he asked her why:  
  
'Why do those little creatures give you so much joy?' Gaara had asked the girl.   
'Well, they are my friends,' Sada had replied, as she cuddled her little chipmunks, 'And my beloved pets.'  
'It's useless...and childish.'   
She had looked hurt by this comment. 'Childish?! I am not a child. I happen to be 15 years old! Probably more mature than you, who is...how old are you?'  
'...17...'   
  
Besides the sentimental actions of Sada, her eyes also perplexed him. Well, rather the fact that she always kept her eyes closed. Yes, it may have seemed obvious, but he wanted to ask her:  
  
'Why do you not open your eyes?' Gaara had asked her in an apathetic tone.   
Sada had froze slightly at the question, but quickly went back to her cheerful demeanor. She simply smiled. '...I do not need to show my eyes, if I cannot see anything. Even if my eyes were open, I would still see darkness...it would not be necessary.'   
'You're blind.'  
She only smiled again. 'Yep, but it's not too bad. I mean I'm getting use to it.' She was silent for a moment, 'I'm more confident now...after all, I had 3 months to get use to it!'  
  
Gaara led the girl through the small market place. She held onto his arm, lightly, but not clingy. They neared a larger house, after passing through the bustle of their livestock area. A woman stood on the small porch, with a young man standing attentively at her side. A look of disappointment came to the woman's face the moment she saw Sada. Gaara noticed her say something into the other's ear. He had also noticed the look on her face. From what he understood, he figured she would be joyful, but she seemed indifferent.  
  
"Sada. Where is Kohana?" the woman asked in a tense tone. It was almost as though she were holding back anger.  
  
Sada took a step forward. "She left me. I don't know...which way she went...I'm sorry, Kotori"  
  
"You are dismissed. I wish to speak to Gaara," Kotori told Sada, "Gaara? Please follow me."  
  
Kotori went around the corner. Gaara simply looked at Sada, and pulled away from her grasp. She stood their a bit lost, but found her way to the pillar of the porch roof. Gaara turned and followed Kotori. He wondered if Temari and Kankuro had any luck. After seeing Kotori's reaction to the sight of Sada, it was obvious that Kohana was not found.

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Author's note: okay, well I hope I did not confuse you with those little flashbacks. I tried to make them look different by not spacing it like the normal paragraphs, and by using past tense. I hope you guys caught on Once again, please give me some suggestions! See I tried to lengthen it!!  
  
Please read my next chapter 


	3. Hidden Enemies

A/N: Okay, well, most of you seemed to have gotten the wrong idea! ;;; Well, it is pretty obvious that not all of Wind Country is a desert...I mean, think about it... besides, I didn't even mention that this was in Wind Country. But that can all be blamed on me! Oh yeah, thank you for all the reviews! Modingbeli, you made a very good point about the "cheery type", and I agree with you. I guess I put my character across the wrong way...I did not mean for her to seem so cliché. And, the characters will be developed, trust me...but then again I might just throw some in for the sake of developing Sada's character or any other major-minor character...like Kotori, for example.  
R&R  
  
DISCLAIMER: Again, I do not own Naruto!!

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"Don't worry, Huyen will look after Sada, if you are worried about her," Kotori said, just to run the point by Gaara. "But, Sada is not our concern...Kohana is your main priority."  
  
Kotori looked to be a middle-aged woman, who happened to look naturally mean. Her sapphire eyes were intense, most likely with anger. From the tone of her voice, and the manner she carried herself about, it was safe to say Kotori was very domineering. The whole time she spoke to Gaara, Gaara remained silent. Not that Kotori intimidated him, but simply because Gaara wanted her to shut up so he could leave. This mission was not the usual type that he and his siblings received, but the condition in which the Hidden Sand Village was in, they could not afford to turn down any kind of mission. Kotori continued to speak.  
  
"If Sada was not with her, Kohana would still be here," Kotori explained. She was more or less complaining now, most likely unaware of the message she was displaying. "Since they were twelve, Sada always had to stick with Kohana. For three years, Sada was a burden...if she would just have that surgery..."  
  
Kotori continued to jabber. Gaara had not really been listening, but after he heard that Sada had been blind for three years, he snapped back to attention. He wondered what compelled her to lie. Gaara, himself, spoke what he felt or thought about people, which was always in a negative tone. This further intrigued him; after observing people for so long, he began to realize a pattern. Many people did not welcome pity from people, and he figured that is why Sada did not tell the truth about her blindness. At last he became irritated by Kotori and simply walked away. Kotori was not very pleased, but she did not want anyone to notice this.  
  
As he walked around the corner, Gaara noticed Temari and Kankuro just arrive. The sun was now hanging lower in the sky; in a couple hours, a shroud of blackness would fill the sky, freckled with stars, and lit by the moon. Both Kotori and Gaara realized that Temari and Kankuro were alone. Gaara knew that Kankuro and Temari worked together on missions, so if Temari had no luck, then Kankuro did not have it either. This annoyed Gaara somewhat, that neither of them could find a single girl. However, he had long since ignored their incompetence.  
  
"Where is Kohana?!" Kotori demanded.  
  
Temari closed her eyes, and crossed her arms. "We were unable to locate her," she replied in a very calm manner. Kankuro nodded in agreement.  
  
Immediately, Kotori looked at Sada. "What happened to her?!" Kotori yelled, "Where is Kohana?"  
  
Sada cringed, and leant back ever so slightly. The young man, identified as Huyen, widened his stance a bit. Obviously, Kotori was becoming hysterical. Kotori's face was contorted, anger was burning in her eyes. Her fists were held tightly by her sides, as if in an attempt to control her fury. The three Sand siblings looked unconcerned. Huyen, on the other hand, had a very worried look on his face. With out much warning, Kotori bounded forward, charging for Sada, her fists raised above her.  
  
"It's your fault! It's because of you that Maliko is dead!!" she screamed as she ran for Sada, "You killed her! You killed my sister!!"  
  
Huyen intercepted her attack. He jumped in front of Kotori, trying to hold this bewildered woman. This entire spectacle looked rather childish to the Sand siblings, elite shinobi. Quarrels among citizens were irrelevant to them. Huyen held Kotori's back, holding onto her one wrist. Compared to him, Kotori was older and smaller. Kotori's red hair whipped about her as she tried to resist Huyen.  
  
"Please, Kotori," Huyen pleaded with the fervent woman, "Sada did not do anything! Control yourself."  
  
"She doesn't deserve to live! She already killed two people—Maliko and now Kohana!" Kotori tried to convince Huyen.  
  
"You can't say that! You weren't there! Look, just let Sada return to the village, and we'll remain here."  
  
"No!!"  
  
"Maliko, would want her friend to be safe," Huyen said in a calm voice, "After that, these ninjas can go back to Wind Country. I'm sure their passports to be in Earth Country are only for a limited time." Huyen turned to Gaara, "You. Please take Sada back to her village...it is a lodging town, near the border that lies next to Grass Country."  
  
Gaara uncrossed his arms, and calmly walked over to Sada. She had heard Huyen's orders, and complied. In Kotori's current state, she wanted to get out of there as fast as she could. This time, however, Sada did not need Gaara as a guide. Using her staff, she guided herself along; Gaara's footsteps were sufficient guidance. Huyen released his hold on Kotori slightly.  
  
"And you two," Huyen said to Temari and Kankuro, "Continue your search for Kohana."  
  
With that, Temari and Kankuro left, not looking very pleased. In fact, they looked very impatient. Huyen watched Gaara and Sada until they were out of sight. After he ensured Sada was at a safe distance he released Kotori, pushing her as he did so. Kotori looked even more angered. She glared at Huyen, making sure to make eye contact with him. His grey eyes were deadly calm. He just simply squinted at her. Kotori looked like she was going to say something, but Huyen cut her off.  
  
"You know," Huyen said, "You are a pain. I don't know why I agreed to be here." Kotori looked just a tad confused, but Huyen continued. "I don't know why you freak out over a dead girl and a missing one... Maliko and Kohana. It took me some time to convince Kohana to leave, but Sada was a problem...but a problem that could easily be taken care of."  
  
Kotori looked away for a moment, trying to figure out what Huyen was talking about. She came to the realization that Huyen had a hand in Kohana's disappearance. "What? You...?"  
  
Huyen smirked, and tucked some of his brown hair behind his ear. "It took some time to get close to Kohana...but it was worth it. As we speak, Kohana must be captured. I hear her 'powers' are a valuable asset; that's why you always moved her around, never staying in one place too long, and that's also why you were protective of her. But let's not waste our time on useless speech...it's time for you to join your sister."  
  
Fear seemed to dawn upon Kotori's face. Huyen moved closer to Kotori, drawing a hidden kunai from within his loose clothing.  
  
==========  
  
"So Temari and Kankuro...are your teammates?" Sada asked.  
  
Gaara nodded, "They're my siblings."  
  
Sada looked somewhat excited, "Wow! You're on the same team as your brother and sister? That's so cool!"  
  
Gaara remained silent, but Sada continued talking. "I have an older sister, but she doesn't have time to visit with me...well, I also tend to move around lots. Both me and Kohana...and that Kotori. Plus, my sister has a restaurant to manage...she wouldn't have any free time to travel to see me. Yep, it's been me and Kohana for a long time. She's my best friend..."  
  
Sada went quiet for a while. Gaara shifted his eyes over to glance at her. He wondered why she still kept her eyes closed, even though he knew. He thought back to the incident with Kotori. Her fury told him that someone she loved deeply was killed. What perplexed him was the fact that she blamed Sada for killing the two that she 'loved'. He wanted to learn more about what happened, but pushed the thought aside. The mission was not worthwhile, but still, he wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. The sky looked like a painting, the gradual gradient of orange to the darkest blue on the farthest side of the heavens.  
  
After a while Sada continued, "Is it almost nighttime?"  
  
"...Yes," Gaara replied. He looked around at the surroundings. The forest looked dark, and the air was becoming cooler.  
  
Sada smiled. "I still remember the last time I saw one...I mean the way the sky looked. It was pinkish, with a tint of orange...yes, it was very pretty...gorgeous really."  
  
Gaara looked in the direction of the setting sun. Watching it as Sada spoke. He felt a twinge of an unknown feeling; something he never felt before. He came to know Sada more, as she talked on. Mostly about what she remembered, and asking Gaara some questions every now and then. Gaara replied, answering the questions in a frank manner. The forests were darker now that the sun completely set. The moon was already hanging in the sky, very low, like a glowing globe in the unbounded blackness. As they pressed on the surrounding forests seemed to hug the road more closely. The dark was natural to Gaara.  
  
Gaara sensed chakra nearby, but saw no threat. He tried to peer into the dark forests, looking for any unnatural movements within the shadows. He heard something nearby, and turned to see its source. Sada was not by his side. He stopped abruptly, and looked around to see if he could see her. He figured she had become temporarily lost. He then spotted Sada and another figure not too far from him.  
  
"Has pretending to be blind really helped you?" the stranger asked Sada, who was constrained by what looked by vines.

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A/N: I would like to extend special recognition to my friend, Melissa!! She helped me work around the many problems I encountered in writing the story. Her e-mail is y0urmomhotmail.com if you would like to drop a few tips by her pertaining to the story. Either way, all tips will be acknowledged. Yet, it would be best to just submit a review...also, if you have requests, then just mention them, or email Melissa, and she MIGHT work on one for you.  
Keep a lookout for the next chapter...yay!  



	4. Apart from You

DISCLAIMER: I do not, repeat, I DO NOT own Naruto! 

A/N: yea, I know I took uber long writing the fourth chapter, but work really got in the way, then I got lazy, then school started...and now this is my temporary escape from homework!

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Sada began to tremble within the grasp of the vines. The shinobi leaned close to Sada, his hand reaching out to her face. Instinctively, Sada began to cringe, trying to draw her head away from the presence in front of her. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the shinobi holding Sada.

"Now let's take a look at those wonderful eyes," he said with a sadistic tone in his voice.

Sand shot up, and knocked the stranger's hand away from Sada. The shinobi drew back quickly, and jumped backwards. Gaara walked out of the shadows; the ninja did not even take notice of him, but now, Gaara was officially on his nerves. He glared at Gaara, and clenched his fist. Almost simultaneously, the vines holding Sada pulled her down, and the ground swallowed her up. Gaara reached out to try grab hold of her, but unfortunately, the vines were quicker. Moments later, a strange plant emerged behind the shinobi, who was obviously from the Hidden Grass. The plant was in shape of a flower bulb, but was much larger, almost the size of a full-grown man.

Gaara still maintained his calm composure. The Grass-nin stood confidently, a smirk on his mug. "Thought you could intervene, Sand brat?" taunted the cocky shinobi. "You think that I am unaware of your status...your power, well, I am not afraid. I know you will not kill me, 'cause if you do, Sada will die. I know you will not do it, Gaara."

Gaara still remained unaffected by his comments, but he was confused. Why would he think that he cared about Sada? Did he? Was this second-class shinobi right? Now that the question was brought up, it kept resurfacing to his current thought. Thinking back to it, Sada was rather unique. He had no time to be thinking back, he had to save her. Sada was like how Naruto and Lee were to him; they were people he could relate with. Just as Gaara had to live knowing he was hated, so did Sada. However, she did not have the option of killing those she hated.

All the while, he could hear her voice, remember what she said to him:

_'You know what?' she asked rhetorically._

_He did not answer._

_'Let me tell you something, Gaara. I may not be able to see...' She said this many times before, but this time, her tone was different. She said it in a way that told she was not bothered by her blindness. Before she said it rather reluctantly. 'But I have sight that not many people have...people, who are too caught up with the world, people who can't stop and be fascinated by everyday things...it is these people who take the beauty of sight for granted...I can see beauty...kindness in people. And, Gaara, I see kindness in you. I know I may be out of place, but you shouldn't let the past bother you, I know that...all that you should worry about is what is yet to come, and the here and now.'_

_She was silent for a moment, waiting to see if Gaara had anything to say. Nothing came._

_She continued. 'Just by being with you for the short time that we have been together, I can tell that you are burdened with something. You seem tense at contact...it's something I can sense in people...never mind...I just want you to know that someone does care.'_

_Gaara was confused slightly by her speech, he wished she would just shut up._

_'Just remember that...' she had said to him._

Gaara glanced at the large bulb behind the Grass-nin. He knew Sada was within, or at least he thought. He had to take the risk, even if this shinobi was using some freaky jutsu, he knew he had time to save Sada even if something were to happen to her. His sand blasted towards the Grass-nin, but he evaded the onslaught rather easily. He laughed.

"What?" he said in a mocking tone, "You are still going to risk her life? That is what I had expected from you, Gaara of the Desert."

Vines reached out for Gaara from behind him, but the sand protected him. Their fight waged on, but it was mostly just the Grass-nin dealing all the blows. He was not really attacking, just evading Gaara's sand, but why would he do that? Gaara was getting annoyed, and at last attacked with Desert Coffin. The sand wrapped its way around the Grass-nin's body, and he laughed. He did not scream, as other victims had, he only laughed uncontrollably. The sand silenced him. Blood seeped through the thickness.

A small hissing sound could be heard coming from the large bulb. A body outline could be seen as the layers began to thin and wilt. With a huge pfft, a body fell out of the bulb. Green ooze and slime spilled to the ground. The body was limp, but was definitely that of a girl. Gaara looked upon the seen, indifferent; however, deep down, he hoped, he wished that Sada was fine. He hoped that she was just unconscious.

He neared the body, and stood just next to the puddle of grime. Looking down at it, he narrowed his eyes. He was not sure if this liquid had any significance – maybe it was some chakra-absorbing fluid, or perhaps, it was just fluid, nothing more. He stepped towards Sada, who was facing away from him. Crouching down next to the body, he brushed the matted hair away from her face. Taking two fingers, he pressed them against her neck, checking for a sign of life.

Nothing came. Panic took over. He grabbed her shoulder, and rolled her over. Much to his relief it was not Sada. However, it was Kohana, the other girl they were sent to find. He figured that she must have been captured in the forest where he found Sada. Why did they take Kohana, Gaara wondered to himself.

He stood up and scanned the area, trying to sense for any chakra. Somehow, he knew Sada was alive, he just had to find her. He walked away from the corpse that lay crumpled on the ground, and began to search for Sada, once again.

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Sada sat against the trunk of the tree, terrified. She could hear movement around her, but whoever they were, they were trying hard to keep silent. She hugged her knees close to her chest, and hid her face in the crook of her elbow. Blinking her eyes open made no difference on her sight, but she just needed a moment to open them. Being blind would have been a welcome change to her; at least she could show her eyes to the world.

But no. She had to keep her eyes closed, or else the seal could be seen. The seal that was placed on her three years ago. The seal that blocked her sight. It covered her light purple eyes, and made them appear pure black, not a speck of white could be seen. She could feel tears at the sides of her eyes, but she resisted the urge to cry. Somehow, she knew that Kohana was dead, why else would they decide to come after her, the last one left. Gaara came to her mind, and she prayed that he would find her.

She really believed that he was a good person. Sada wanted to see him. She wanted him to be near her. When he was around, she felt safe, like she did not have to be on constant guard. Kind of how she felt when she was around her best friend, Kohana. Warm tears rolled down her cheeks. Oh, Gaara, please, come for me, Sada thought to herself.

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A/N: well, I'll end there, cuz if I continue...well, I don't want to right now hehehe, well, read and review!!! Yay!! 


	5. Friends?

**A/N**: I am trying hard to update and get this story over with so I can start another….

**DISCLAIMER:** as usual, I do not own Naruto….someone would have to be very stupid to believe that I do lol

However, I do own my original characters…not that someone would want them anyway, seeing as they are all dead

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"Get up!"

Sada was ripped from her spot against the tree and pushed not to far from her original spot. She shut her eyes tightly, cringing from whomever was trying to hurt her. Confusion struck her. She had no clue who this person was and it scared her.

"Come on!" the stranger demanded. "Stupid girl…do you want to die? Now, get up!"

Sada kept turning her head away from the source of the noise, covering her head with her arms as she did so. Suddenly, her hair was grabbed, and yanked upwards. She was forced to face her abuser. She gritted her teeth together, trying hard not to think of the pain. Immediately, her hands grabbed onto the arms of the person pulling her hair. Digging her fingernails into his flesh, Sada hoped that he would release her.

"Shit!" he cursed.

The man released hold of her, throwing her to the ground as he did so.

"Get back here," he yelled to her, as she frantically tried to crawl away.

Once again, her hair was pulled, she was forced to face the man that was abusing her. She was expecting to be yelled at more, but in place of verbal abuse, she was slapped hard across the face. She hit the ground hard, and clutched her cheek.

She could feel warmth nearby, and heard the distinct crackling of wood. Why did she not hear it before? She must have been so worried that she wasn't aware of her surroundings as she usually was. The smells of a fire as well as the sounds could be heard. She made a quick mental note of where the fire was, so if she did plan an escape she could avoid the fire. Suddenly, a hand grasped her collar from behind, and jerked her up. Her head snapped forward from the backward pull, and her hair fell over her face. She stumbled backwards only to hit the same person who held her captive.

"Watch it, you little bastard!" he said through gritted teeth.

Sada could feel him right behind her, and as he spoke she could feel his breath at her ear. He dragged her forward, towards the fire. She knew he was taking her there, and she began to panic, not knowing what this guy would do next. As she was pushed forward, she could feel the heat of the fire stronger than before. Sada tensed up. She dug her heels into the ground, trying to stop herself from being pushed forward.

"You want me to let go of you so bad?" he yelled at her. "Enjoy your freedom!"

Suddenly, Sada was pushed forward. Pain surged through her hands. She quickly rolled over, away from the flames. Without giving it a second thought, she grabbed hold of a burning log and threw it in the direction she had been pushed from. She heard the movement coming towards her. Sure enough, this brute was back to beat her. She cringed from a kick to the side, grasping her stomach. She gasped for air, and tried hard to crawl away.

"How you like that, huh?" the voice taunted her.

Sada began to cough, she could taste blood on her lip. It must have been from when he slapped her, she thought. She spit out the foul taste. Slowly, she began to rise to her knees, only to be pushed down again. Instead of another kick, as she was expecting to come from her assaulter, a hand squeezed her shoulder, rolling her onto her back.

His hand grabbed her throat, pushing her head into the dirt. The grip seemed to tighten slowly. She could hear his raspy breathing. She gasped slightly at the feel of cold metal against her neck – a kunai blade. Was he going to kill her? She didn't know how she was going to die. It was either from being choked to death, or sliced on the throat.

'This can't be the end…it just can't. What about the seal….what about…' Sada tried to find some hope. Certainly she couldn't die, not now. 'Where are you, Gaara?'

She began to feel her self slip away from the world. I am going to die, she thought. Before she had lost all hope, the pressure on her neck was lifted. She heard a thud close by. She began to cough, and rolled onto her side. Her breathing was hard, and she felt very tired. All the while she could grunting.

"Gaara?" Sada called out in a low, raspy voice.

"Are you okay, Sada?" a voice asked.

Sada began to sit up slowly. She could feel a presence nearby. It wasn't Gaara – that was not his voice. It sounded a lot like…

"It's me..." the person comforted her. She could feel a hand rest upon her shoulder, as his other held her chin, as if inspecting her injuries. "It's okay, Sada. I'm here."

Her hands were taken into his; he must have been inspecting her palms. Suddenly, she was pulled closer to him, as his arms wrapped around her. The gentle rising and falling of his chest, the comforting rhythm of his heart, barely audible, and the warmth of him…

"Huyen?" she said in a soft voice.

"Yes, Sada?"

She felt like crying. She was so glad that he came, especially at this time. He was always helping her, protecting her against Kotori's rage. He diverted her anger away from Sada, whenever he could. When nobody was there, he would be. He was like her bodyguard, but meant more to her than just that. He was a friend…like Kohana and Maliko were to her. A mix of emotion overwhelmed her. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Sada…what's wrong?" Huyen asked with concern apparent in his voice

"Thank you, Huyen. Thank you."

Huyen looked down at Sada. His face did not portray the same concern that his voice. He looked distant and uncaring.

"I will repay you," she said suddenly. "One of these days, I promise."

"I have no doubt that you will," he simply replied. "But you don't need to worry about that now…it's unnecessary. Right now, we should worry about tending to those burns."

"You're so kind…I'm grateful," Sada that Huyen was not upset in any way, after all he was a friend. Right? But not that it mattered, she was just grateful he was here. Once again her thoughts turned once again to Gaara.

'Has he forgotten about me?' The thought kept resurfacing despite her attempts to not let her mind be sidetracked by such negative thinking. Still, it couldn't hurt to wonder. Could it?

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Gaara hurried through the trees, trying to locate Sada as quickly as he could. He knew she was in danger. There was no mistake in it, the shinobi he had just killed was a diversion used to distract him. But what was so important in stalling for time? Certainly, it had something to do with Sada. He just hoped she was not dead when he did find her. He would not know how he would do if this time she was really dead. When he had mistaken Kohana with Sada, he was overcome with fear. He had not felt this type of emtion for so long. He remembered how overwhelming it was. His heart almost skipped beat, and his breath was caught in his lungs. He knew it would be worse if he did discover Sada dead. It would be best if he did not think about it further…it was too unsettling.

He felt almost disgusting with himself. It was unlike him to be like this. Caring. Especially, for some strange, and weak girl. He was angry with himself. Emotions only clouded thinking. Hate and anger were the only useful emotions; after all, they helped fuel people's ability to fight. He didn't need to feel anything. Nor did he need anybody.

The thought of her being with him kept coming back. Remembering seeing her, unafraid to be near him. Why would she fear him? She had no reason? She seemed carefree at times; she didn't let her burden hold her back; that is if she had control over her situation. Yet, at the same time she seemed helpless…and most importantly, unselfish. Whenever she talked to him, she never did like to dwell on her own past, and never did delve in to learning about his past. She was understanding. And, she was…Gaara stopped himself. What am I doing, he thought to himself. This is a mission, and that's that.

He kept running it through his head, 'this is a mission.' He needed to complete it. He needed to find Sada, before anything happened to her.

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**A/N**: Yah, that took forever! Lol plus….this was a pretty useless chapter….but I am also working on the next chapter…but I am a bit unsure what should happen. I mean, I made a plan, but that was when I first started this fanfic….which was way long time ago…plus, I wanna try get some readers' input into this whole story…which is moving awfully slow!! Hahahaha

Yep…so I'll be waiting for reviews! And I accept all reviews….flamers, praises, and whatever…so hint hint this is when you go and submit a review! Whee

Luv ya!


	6. Fallen Once Again

A/N: Thank you so much **Terra Goddess** for reminding me that people may actually like this fic….got me to thinking that leaving a story incomplete is…well, awful. Let the characters have their closure! lol

Also, I wish that **MetalSkies** could have given me an example of how to make Sada not so cliché! I mean, don't get me wrong, damsels in distress annoy me too…but they can't be too macho…or that's just as cliché….it has to be just right!

Anywho, this is my attempt at reviving this fic…I mean, I have the ending worked out…just the middle junk (which makes that story) is kinda hard to cook up. But I pondered this long….and I think I'm about ready…so hear goes.

Disclaimer: nope…I do not own _Naruto _

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"Huyen? Where are we going?" Sada inquired gently, as they moved along.

"Back home," was his simple reply.

Sada shook her head slowly, knowing all too well that their 'home' was in another direction. It seemed as though more than an hour had past since they left the place where he had found her. She hesitated a moment before continuing.

"But…Huyen, home is back in that direction, and why are we in such a hurry. Shouldn't we wait for Gaara?" she stated, while pointing just south west of them. "Surely, no shortcut leading this way will take us back quicker."

She heard his steps cease, and as if following cue, she stopped as well, not sure if she had angered him or not. "Questions…Questions….and questions…" he began to say, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of his tone. "You know…you should have just gone along with it. That way I could have at least assured your safety…for a while, at least."

Sada was confused, and frightened. Why is he acting like this, she wondered to herself. She clutched her walking staff in her hand firmly. He was just like Huyen not that long ago…why the sudden change? She felt her heart quicken in her chest. Swallowing hard, she took a step back.

"What you didn't think we would find out?" he seemed to be demanding from her. His tone mocking, "All we had to do was single you guys out...upon investigation it was discovered the other two did not have it. The only logical thing to think of was that you had it. Those eyes…" He began to step towards Sada. Slowly reaching for her, "You have some talent there…and you will serve us."

Feeling him closing the distance between them she quickly brought her walking staff up in a sweeping motion, in an attempt to ward him off. She ran backwards for a few steps before stabilizing her stance.

"Keep your distance," she warned him. It felt as though something were caught in her throat, and as hard as she swallowed it would not go away. She felt as though she could cry, yet at the same time, she was brimming with anger. It only made sense that he was the cause of her friend's deaths. Not only that, but she couldn't help but feel guilty as well.

"There is nothing keeping me from getting to you. Not that stick of yours, not your friends, and definitely not that sand-nin."

She felt as though she could hyper-ventilate. There was too much to contain…but she had to focus on the now. She needed to keep herself safe. Realizing that Gaara had not shown up led her to reach her own conclusions. The worst-case scenario was that he was dead, killed by Huyen's companions, no doubt. In any case, she could not wait for somebody to rush to her rescue; she needed to get out there and fast. Still, in the back of her mind, she knew that no matter how fast she ran, he would still catch her.

Deciding it better to take her chance than to do nothing at all, she darted to her left, running for her dear life. She could hear him as he came up beside her. Quickly, she swung her staff out at him. It did not connect, she could feel it.

However, just as quickly as she had swung, she felt a blow dealt to her back. Arching from the pain, another blow came to the back of her knees. Using her hand to brace herself, she fell to the ground, her staff already torn away from her grip. Digging her fingernails into the ground, she forced herself to at least get up.

Feeling his warm breath down her neck, she knew Huyen was right behind her, as she rose herself to her knees. Feeling the cold steel of the kunai pressed against her neck also made her more frightened. Her chest hurt, and her throat felt tight.

"Did you honestly think you could escape?" Huyen sneered. "Three years, and finally we found you. You should have stayed home, forgot about becoming a shinobi, then at least that way, you could have spared your friend's lives. But no, I bet you thought that it would have been fun. That's probably what you thought, as you and that crew of toddlers set out. It was obvious you guys were just newly graduated shinobis. Why even think that you could fare well in another country?"

She could not hold her pain in for much longer, and hearing him say those words unleashed all her sorrow. Tears flowed out of her eyes, as she cried.

"It wasn't supposed to turn out like this," she admitted through sobs. "We didn't think anything would happen…"

"Everybody is naïve at one point or another," he began to say. "Enough of that. Now let's see these eyes of yours."

As if giving in to defeat, she opened her eyes, sniffling as she did so, in an attempt to calm herself. Huyen smiled in anticipation, and leaned forward to see her face more clearly. A look of anger and frustration dawned upon his face, as he looked upon her eyes. Rather than seeing the lilac irises he had expected to see, her saw her eyes, pure jet black. Everything covered in what was no doubt a seal.

"Who did this?" he demanded of her, as he took a handful of hair into his hand. He pulled her head back slightly, so as to see her eyes more clearly. "What happened?"

"No body from my village sealed this," she blurted, her hands shaking slightly. "I can't remember what happened. If there was a way to undo it, I would have done it long ago."

Examining her eyes more closely, he came to a conclusion. "There is a way. We just need someone has knowledge of seals," he told her. "So, you weren't lying, you really do see darkness…you really are blind. Well, then, let's hurray. The sooner we get this seal off the sooner we can use your skill."

Gaara stood up after examining the small camp site. The stones and wood from the fire were already cold. He knew that they had already left a while ago. They left in a hurry, Gaara concluded, seeing as the corpse wasn't even disposed of. Looking over to the dead body, he realized that his was the grass-nin he had fought just earlier. The only thing he couldn't figure out was who would have killed him and why, unless somebody else was trying to accomplish the same goal as him.

"_My friend…Maliko, she was a shinobi once...and that's how she died," Sada confided in him. "Her sister blames me, because Maliko died trying to protect Kohana and I. Don't you get scared that you'll never see your siblings or any of your friends again?"_

Her words and voice repeated themselves in his head. His brother and sister serve the Sand, he knew it would be in their duty serving and protecting the village that they would die, and that was to be expected. It was true he would feel saddened, but what more can one expect in combat. As for Sada, he did not know what he would do.

Quickly, he hurried after them, knowing that he wasted too much time already.

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A/N: yayness….another chapter…I'm guessing there will only be few more chapters…cuz I wanted this too be a short fic…

Review please and thank you


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